Twenty-five skippers are now heading towards Plymouth, Great Britain in preparation for the start of The Artemis Transat on Sunday 11 May.

The entire race fleet must be berthed inside Sutton Harbour, Plymouth by Sunday evening, 4 May. Once at Sutton Harbour the skippers and their shore teams will continue with their final preparations as the Race Committee carry out final boat inspections to check the boats comply with the racing rules. Then the fleet are confined to their pontoons on Friday, 9 May at 11:00 until the start.

Michel DESJOYEAUX (FRA), skipper of IMOCA 60 Foncia, and winner of the ORMA 60 Class in the 2004 edition of the race observed: "The North Atlantic in May is a very demanding playground, but it will be a bit more relaxed for me this time since I'm now racing a monohull, which is less stressful, but it certainly won't be an easy ride. The Artemis Transat will be a good round of observation as far as our future Vendée Globe rivals are concerned, but given the specificities of the course, it will be important not to jump to conclusions."

Yvan NOBLET (FRA), skipper of Class40 Appart City, had this to say: "I've heard the accounts of the oldest of all transatlantic races ever since I was a child, and for me it really is a reference - its course on the North Atlantic is certainly the toughest given the extreme conditions that are likely to be encountered. I'm very confident as far as my boat is concerned, and am looking forward to going back to solo racing, which I have not done since the last Route du Rhum."

Ten boats to compete in Prologue

Following on from the Grand Prix Petit Navire in France, up to ten of The Artemis Transat race fleet plan to take part in the official prologue from Douarnenez to Plymouth. The IMOCA 60s include Akena Vérandas (Arnaud BOISSIERES), Brit Air (Armel LE CLEAC'H), Foncia (Michel DESJOYEAUX), Generali (Yann ELIES) and PRB (Vincent RIOU). The Class40 players are Appart' City (Yvan NOBLET), Beluga Shipping (Boris HERRMANN), Custo Pol (Halvard MABIRE), Prévoir VIE (Benoit PARNEAUDEAU) and Telecom Italia (Giovanni SOLDINI).

Yann ELIÈS (FRA) who has been racing Generali at the Grand Prix Petit Navire reported: "We've been facing our rivals for the past ten days, either in solo mode during the recent Port la Forêt training sessions or fully crewed in Douarnenez, where we really pushed the boat to a 100% of her potential. The level of performance and reliability she displayed allows me to leave knowing I have a boat that is capable of winning The Artemis Transat, yet I know that it will be like tackling a summit by its North face! Having worked extensively with Jean-Yves BERNOT [renowned weather specialist] on the course analysis, I'm fully aware of the difficulties that lie ahead. I'll be leaving Brittany on Saturday night, hoping to deliver the boat to Plymouth with good breeze - I have a new small spinnaker designed for heavy weather I'd like to test!"

The prologue race is approximately 160 miles and the ten-boat fleet are expected to head off on Saturday night although the final decision on the start time will not be made until Friday once the weather scenario can be more accurately forecasted. The skippers will be racing with a crew but, undoubtedly, the prologue will sharpen their race instincts with only ten days to go until the start of the 'big one'!

Tom Burton (AUS) and Alison Young (GBR) hit the right note in the Laser and Laser Radial at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as they took out the top honours and qualification spots to the 2015 ISAF Sailing World Cup Final.

It was double Australian gold in the Paralympic classes. Matt Bugg (AUS) came out on top in the 2.4mR whilst London 2012 Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch (AUS) were triumphant in the two person keelboat.

Lithuania's Juozas Bernotas came out on top in the Men's RS:X whilst Russia's Stefania Elfutina was triumphant in the Women's RS:X. Both sailors claim the first Abu Dhabi ISAF Sailing World Cup Final spots whilst Jock Calvert (AUS) and Joanna Sterling (AUS) picked up the Oceanic spots for the Emirati finale.

There was some fast paced action in the 49er and 49erFX Medal Races at ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne as Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS) and Maia & Ragna Agerup (NOR) claimed the honours and Abu Dhabi final spots.

A tight group of five young Papua New Guinean (PNG) Laser sailors are stepping up their 2015 Pacific Games competition program using this week's ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne. PNG is one of 33 countries represented at the important Oceanic event, the largest Olympic sailing regatta in the southern hemisphere.

Nicolai Sehested (DEN) and his TREFOR Match Racing Team clinched victory today at the Energa Sopot Match Race, Poland, the 10th stage and World Championship Event of the 2015 World Match Racing Tour (WMRT).

There was no stopping current, and five-time ISAF Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams (GBR), GAC Pindar today at the Energa Sopot Match Race as he swiftly dispatched his Quarter Final opponent Joachim Aschenbrenner (DEN) in three straight wins.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) continues to address concerns and is taking steps to ensure the health and safety of all athletes who will be competing in the upcoming Aquece Rio, Olympic Test Event and the Rio 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Veteran Polish match racer and America's Cup helmsman Karol Jablonski skilfully played the gusty conditions today to lead the twelve strong field of teams at the end of Day 2 of Qualifying at the 2015 Energa Sopot Match Race.